Cricket Kitchen

Smriti Mandhana Appointed New Captain of India Women’s Cricket Team

October 7, 2026

Kathmandu – The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Smriti Mandhana as the new captain of the Indian women’s cricket team after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from captaincy across all formats.

Mandhana, who has been part of the Indian team since 2013, already has significant leadership experience. She has previously captained India in 18 T20 internationals and four ODIs.

Mandhana has also enjoyed success as a franchise captain. Under her leadership, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the Women’s Premier League (WPL) titles in 2024 and 2026.

Mandhana will now lead the Indian women’s team across all formats, marking the beginning of a new chapter under her leadership.